I’ve often worn leggings, but usually underneath my pants or shorts to protect my skin from irritation caused by friction during workouts. Yesterday, I decided to wear my Zumba leggings by themselves. I went back and forth on the decision for several minutes — putting on shorts, taking them off, putting them on again, and repeating that a few times. At one point, I just said, “You know what, I want to wear them, and I’m going to wear them!”
I made sure to wear a slightly longer shirt because I don’t want everything out in the open. This morning, as I was about to grab shorts, I stopped myself and said, “No! You will wear these as you want to! What are you ashamed of, Angel?”
So, again, I wore leggings to work out. And here’s something I discovered — something that, apparently, all women already know: leggings alone are super comfortable! I think that’s probably one of women’s best-kept secrets. They already know this, but many of us don’t. And why don’t men know this? You might not like it, you might deny it, but I’m going to lay it out right now.
Men often think leggings are feminine. Wearing them can make men worry about how others might perceive them. Now, I do and wear many things that some might find unconventional, and I don’t care. But for some reason, I never got comfortable wearing leggings. Why are leggings seen that way? Well, mostly women wear them, so there’s some unspoken idea that they’re just for women. Also, there’s this unwritten rule that if men wear leggings, they have to wear shorts over them.
I want to be straightforward here — many men, regardless of their views or background, are conscious of how they’re perceived by others. For me, it wasn’t about that at all. I struggled because of body image issues and the worry that everyone would be staring at me. I challenged myself, though! I taught my Zumba class, I danced with confidence, and added some extra flair. I’m comfortable with who I am, and I don’t let outside opinions dictate my choices. But I do think concerns about perception are a big reason most men avoid wearing leggings.
After finally getting the courage to wear them, I’ve decided I’ll wear leggings more regularly. They felt so free and comfortable! The only slight inconvenience I noticed is that they tend to slip down a bit at the waist. I asked a lady experienced with leggings about it, and she said that’s common, which is why women often choose high-waisted leggings — they tend to stay up better. Good fashion advice, duly noted!
Stereotypes exist in many areas of life, and part of growth is pushing past them and making choices based on what works for you. By the way, I’m calling my leggings “Meggings!” LOL.
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